Insulin

Insulin is truly one of the more remarkable hormones we produce naturally in the body and is often added in supplemental amounts by athletes looking for a performance related benefit. As insulin plays a large regulating role on the nutrients we consume its anabolic effect can be significantly high. Through the use of exogenous insulin massive gains in size are a strong reality; however, this gain in size can bring about massive gains in body-fat in many individuals making supplemental use of this hormone only for a select group of people.

Insulin plays two distinct roles regarding nutrient consumption that can greatly lead to an increase in muscle mass; increased protein absorption and increased carbohydrate efficiency. The carbohydrate effects are what we are particularly interested in as the presence of insulin greatly increases the amount of glycogen we are able to store in our muscle. As we understand, food is the most anabolic tool we have; without adequate nutrition everything else we do in the name of muscle and performance is meaningless and worthless. However, with proper nutritional consumption we can effectively add in exogenous insulin to provide a serious boost in growth.

Insulin facts

An interesting fact should be noted; when insulin is present in the body it blocks the fat burning properties in the body. When insulin is present we cannot burn stored body-fat, the body will not use the fat as an energy source, which is optimal. This principle applies when insulin is produced and released naturally or exogenously and for those who are trying to lose weight the need to avoid spikes in insulin is imperative. This is largely why low-carb diets or ketogenic diets have become so popular in recent years; carbohydrate consumption is what triggers an insulin release and the lower the carb consumption the lower the release of insulin and the more efficiently we are able to burn stored fat.

While we all produce insulin naturally the majority of those who supplement with exogenous insulin will be that of competitive bodybuilders, however, other athletes who struggle with adding size and need to increase it may find this a useful option at times. As bodybuilders are the most common users of the hormone in exogenous administration it is largely responsible in-part for the massive increase in size we have witnessed in the professional ranks the last 20 years. Not only does insulin create anabolic synergy between you and your food but it also requires you to eat more food than you would otherwise without supplemental use, as massive amounts of carbohydrates must be taken in with exogenous insulin administration. Failure to consume adequate carbohydrates is very dangerous as it can lead to death.

Insulin side effects

Let’s explain insulin briefly in-terms of its specific function and why irresponsible use can lead to death. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and is designed to control blood sugar levels; glucose enters the blood and insulin shuttles it to the proper location(s). Now, when there is no glucose in the blood and we take in excess insulin our blood sugar bottoms out so to speak and this can easily lead to what is known as a diabetic coma that can lead to death.

As supplemental insulin use can greatly add size to your frame there are many types of insulin in-which you have to choose from. We highly recommend Humalog or Humulin-R, however, Humalog is only attainable via a prescription and will rarely be found on the black market due to its constant need of refrigeration. Humilin-R is available without a prescription at any pharmacy and is rather cheap but both forms are very fast acting and clear your system in a short time frame; which is a much safer use of this hormone when used for performance enhancing. The most beneficial time to administer your insulin will be with your post-workout meal; generally only a few iu’s will be sufficient especially when you’re first starting out. You’ll simply administer the hormone and take in the adequate amounts of food with it to ensure proper function and benefits all while remaining safe. For example, an insulin dose of approximately 1-2iu will need to be coupled with around 150g of carbohydrates, 40-50g of protein and some EFA’s. As you become accustomed to use and if you desire a higher dose of insulin you will need to increase the carbohydrate intake to match it; you may have to play with this a little bit but if you begin to experience low-blood sugar type effects simply take in more carbohydrates immediately. With all your insulin doses, regardless of the dose you will want to take in a mixture of varying carbohydrates, both slow and fast acting but if you find yourself in trouble and needing more carbs, simply add in more fast acting carbohydrates immediately.